Adapter for a bomb



July 23, 1957 l.. D. JACKSON 2,800,080

ADAPTER FOR A BOMB Filed April 28, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 23, 1957 L. D. JACKSON 2,800,080

' ADAPTER FOR A BOMB Filed April 28, 1945 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L.. D. JACKSON4 2,800,080 Patented Jnly 2 3, 1957 tice ADAPTER FR A BOMB Leonard D. Jackson, Alexandria, Va.

Application April 28, 1945, Serial No. 590,864

1 Claim. (Cl. 102-70) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) be secured to the nose of a marine smoke bomb thereby to provide means for firing the bomb not only when the bomb strikes the water but also when the bomb strikes the land whereby the bomb can also be used advantageeusly during land operations.

he principal object of the present invention is to provide Va new and improved adapter secured to the nose o'fza marine smoke bomb of the present type whereby the bomb can be tired either by striking the land or thewater.

Another object of the invention isy the provision ofa new and improved adapter secuied to a marine smoke bomb 'for igniting the pyrotechnic material therein when the bomb comes into contact with land 'or water, as'the case may be, after the bomb is released from an aircraft in flight at a low altitude.

AAnother object of the invention is the provision of a nevi/"and improved adapter secured to a marine smoke bombwforactuating the tiring u nit within the bomb upon aslight impact of the bomb with either land or water'.

Another object of the invention is the provision o f a new' and improved'adapter for a marine smoke bomb having means releasably secured thereto for preventing the pren'tz'tturetringv of the bomb until the bomb has been released from an aircraft in flight. v

A still further object is to provide a new and improved adapter detachably secured yto a marine smoke bomb whereby the bomb is converted 'intoman amphibious weapon.

Still other objects, novel features and advantages ofthe invention will becomeapparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary View of a marine smoke bomb partly in section and partly in elevation and short/ing the adapter secured thereto;` i i Y Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the adapter in a safety or unarmed condition;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the device of Fig. 2,'

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. v3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view ofthe marine smoke bomb showing the adapter secured thereto and in armed position, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the adapter in the firing position. i i

Referring to the drawings in detail for a more complete understanding of the invention, the adapter disclosed thereon is generally indicated by the reference character 10 and is adapted to be secured to a marine smoke bomb 11 of a well known pressure type whereby the bomb will lire on coming into forcible contact with either land or water. The bomb 11 comprises a casing 12 containing a quantity of smoke producing mixture 13 therein, the usual impact fuse assembly 14 comprising a nipple 15 having an enlarged head 16 and a screw threaded shank 17 adapted to have threaded engagement with a threaded opening 1S provided in the casing -12 at the leading end or nose of the bomb 11. The nipple encloses the usual frangible impact disk 19 composed of paper or the like, impact tiring pin 21 includingga coilspring 22 for retaining' the ring pin in safe position, a primer 23 arranged within the usual retainer 24, and a retaining ring 25 for retaining` the impact disk 19, tiring pin 21 and the spring 22 Within a bore provided in the nipple 15, ring 25 having an opening 26 therein.

A container tube 27 ,is secured within one end of the nipple 15 and extends a predetermined distance into the smoke mixture 13 vand is adapted to supporta container ZS'having a quantity of starter mixture 29 arranged there in' for igniting the smoke mixture. Arranged within the container tube 27 is the usual vent tube 31 enclosing the usual time delay fuse 32 having a length of quickmatch 33 arranged in one end thereofV in predetermined spaced relation with respect to the primer 23. The other end of the time delay fuse 32 has'a plurality of quickrnatches 34 arranged therein and the fuse extends into the starter mixture 2 9, thereby providing means for ring ,the starter mixture and the smoke mixture after the time delay fuse has been ignited by .the primer 2,3- -Tlie adapter intl 100mprises a basexmember 35 composed of metal or any other material suitable for the purpose, having a cup-,like recess dened by `a ilange arranged at one end of the member and. adapted to ,reattive theenlarged Ahead .1.6911 the nipple- 15. A' plurality of set screws 37 are employed to secure the base member 35 to the enlarged head 16 of the nipple 1,5. The set screws 37 ,havel threaded engagement 'with threaded openings 38 provided in the basemember 3 5 and are adapted to `seat in recesses 36 provided in the eularged head 16 when the screws are driven home, thereby securely holding the adapter to the enlarged head A16 attached to the leading Vend or nose of the bomb.

AA bearing member generally indicated by the reference character 41 comprises an enlarged body portion 42, having a reduced thnicadd nipple .43 integrally;.Connected thereto, the nipple being in threaded lengagement with a threaded opening 44 provided in the base member 35 thereby to support the bearing krnernber in axial relation with respect to the vbase member. The bearing member is adapted slideably to support a shaft or plunger generally indicated by the reference character 45. The shaft or plunger 45 comprises anenlarged body portion 46 adapted to have .Sliding movement with@ .a bars i7 provided iii-fh@ bearing member 41. Theshaft is also provided with a reduced impinging pin 48 integrally connected to the body portion 46 and is adapted to have `sliding movement within a reduced bore 49 also provided inthe bearing member 4 1. The impinging pin 48 is of such'vlength as to extend into the opening 26 in the retaining ring 25 and within a predetermined distance With respect to the frangible disk .1,9 for lshattering the disk when the plunger ,45 moves a sui-ticient distance lwithin the bearing member y41.r threaded Opening 51 iS prGvified in the body portion itof `the plunger 45 Vfor receiving the threaded 'portionsfo'f a pair of yscrews 52 adapted to extend radially from opposite SideS .f the/*bedr 'portion 46- Thescrsws are of Asuch length as to extend Ainto diabmetrieally` lopposite 'Slots153 provided in the body portion 42 of the bearing member 41 thereby permitting the plunger to slide a predetermined distance within the bearing member 41 and also providing stops to prevent the plunger from becoming disengaged from the bearing member.

The end of the body portion opposite the end having the impinging pin 18 thereon is provided with a reduced stud 54 and a washer 55 arranged thereon, the washer 55 having an opening therethrough, through which the stud 54 extends and the stud is of such length as to extend also through an opening 57 provided in a cup-shaped member 58. lt will be understood, however, that the washer 55 and cup-shaped member 53 may be secured to the stud 54 in any suitable manner such, for example, as by solder, riveting or the like. lt will also be understood that the washer 55 and the cup-shaped member 58 may also be soldered or spot welded together if desired. A U-shaped safety spacer generally indicated by the reference character 59 and comprises a pair of legs 61 connected by a bridge member 62. The safety spacer is adapted to be inserted about the silding shaft or plunger 45 between the washer 55 and the bearing member 41, the legs 61 thereof having abutting relation with respect to the bearing member 41 and the washer 55 thereby preventing axial movement of the plunger 45 from an initial safe position and the premature firing of the bomb. An opening 63 is provided in each leg 61 of the U-shaped spacer 59 and the usual arming wire 64 is adapted to extend therethrough, thereby preventing displacement of the safety spacer 59 until the bomb is launched. A coil spring 65 is arranged between the body portion 46 of the plunger 45 and the bridge member 62.

In operation, when the bomb is released from an aircraft in flight the arming wire 64 is withdrawn from the openings 63 in the safety spacer 59 as the bomb falls away from the aircraft whereby the spring 65 expands and forces the spacer away from the adapter thereby releasing the plunger and arming the bomb.

When the cup-shaped member 58 comes into Contact with either land or water, as the case may be, the plunger 45 is forced through the frangble disk 19 and engages the impact tiring pin 21 which is forced against the tension of the spring 22 into the primer 23, firing the primer 23, thereby causing ignition of the quickmatch 33 in the time delay fuse 32 which in turn ignites the time delay fuse. It will be understood, however, that, as is well known in devices of this character, a predetermined period of time such, for example, as several seconds, will elapse after the primer 23 has been tired before the time delay fuse 32 ignites the quickmatches 34 in the other end of the time delay fuse 32 thereby igniting the starter mixture 29, which, in turn, ignites the smoke producing mixture 13 within the casing 12 of the bomb 11 to produce smoke therefrom.

It will be understood, however, that the adapter provides means whereby the present marine smoke bomb is readily converted into an amphibious weapon which can be launched from an aircraft in flight traveling at an extremely low level or from the deck of a ship 12 feet or more from the surface of a body of water for the reason that by the provision of the aforesaid cup-shaped member 58 secured to the plunger 45, the bomb is caused to be fired in response to a slight impact received thereby.

Although the adapter has been described in connection with a marine smoke bomb of the present well-known type, it will be understood that the adapter may be employed, if desired, with various other types of bombs such, for example, as demolition bombs, re bombs, explosive bombs and the like.

The many advantages of the adapter constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the foregoing description and drawings, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is illustrated and de scribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may bc resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An adapter for converting into an amphibious weapon a marine bomb including a nipple having an enlarged head disposed exteriorly of the bomb at the nose thereof and a central bore with a firing pin slidable therewithin and adaptable to be forced inwardly in response to impact with water to re the contents of the bomb, said adapter comprising, in combination, a base member having a cuplike recess defined by a ange arranged at one end of the member and adapted to receive said enlarged head, a bearing member connected to said base member, said bearing member having a longitudinal bore therein, an elongated plunger mounted for sliding movement in said longitudinal bore, said bearing member including an enlarged portion, said enlarged portion having slots therein disposed on opposite sides of said plunger, transverselyextending elements secured to said plunger and disposed in said slots respectively, said elements providing for retaining the plunger engaged with the bearing member and for movement of the plunger over a predetermined distance, screws passing through said flange and adapted to seat in recesses in said enlarged head for securing the base member thereto with the longitudinal bore of the bearing member in axial alignment with the nipple bore and with one end of said plunger adjacent the tiring pin, a cupshaped member secured to the other end of said plunger, and means for normally holding said one end of the plunger spaced from the firing pin, said last-named means comprising a U-shaped member consisting of a pair of parallel legs and an interconnecting end wall, said lastnamed member being normally disposed about said plunger with said parallel legs interposed between said enlarged portion and said cup-like member, a biased cornpression spring secured to said end wall and disposed between the end wall and the plunger with the axis of bias of the spring generally parallel to said legs and biasing them to a position free of the plunger and bearing member, said legs having a pair of openings therein near the free ends thereof with an opening in each of the legs respectively, said openings being aligned, and a pull wire passing through said openings and normally disposed at the side of the plunger opposite to the spring for retaining the U-shaped member normally disposed about said plunger, said wire being adapted to be pulled to withdraw the wire from the openings and release the U-shaped member for action of the spring bias; whereby the plunger is freed for movement to force the firing pin inwardly to lire the contents of the bomb upon impact of the cup-shaped member with land or water.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 981,069 Currell Jan. 10, 1911 1,224,885 Aasen May 8, 1917 1,318,955 Barlow Oct. 14, 1919 1,672,150 Brayton June 5, 1928 1,852,951 Auriol Apr. 5, 1932 2,035,186 Nichols Mar. 24, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 109,492 Sweden Jan. 4, 1944 

